Valtteri Bottas has expressed his interest in securing a seat with the Audi Formula 1 team but has denied suggestions that his current team, Alfa Romeo, is merely waiting for Audi’s arrival.
Alfa Romeo is set to rebrand as Sauber in six months and, in two and a half years, transform into the Audi works team when Audi enters Formula 1 as a power unit provider in 2026. Bottas, the current driver for Alfa Romeo, has indicated his desire to continue with the team through this transition period.
At 33 years of age, Bottas is one of the more seasoned drivers in the Formula 1 paddock. If he remains in the sport until 2026, he could become one of the older drivers on the grid, particularly if other veterans like Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, and Sergio Perez decide to retire by then.
Despite the prospect of transitioning to Audi, Bottas appears to have no immediate plans for retirement. He finds the idea of being a part of the switch to Audi “interesting” and suggests that it aligns well with his long-term plans.
Bottas stated, “The more I think about it, yes. For me, it’s an interesting era for the team. When you are focused on the here and now, you don’t want to sometimes think too far ahead, but then if I really think about it, and the long-term plan, then it would make sense. And for me, it would be really motivating to be part of it. Let’s see; it is still a while away. I’m sure eventually we will have some discussions, but not yet.”
While some observers have speculated that Alfa Romeo is in a holding pattern, anticipating Audi’s arrival, Bottas dismissed such notions. He clarified that the team is actively working and not idly waiting. The competitive nature of the field, Bottas explained, makes it challenging for teams to regain ground once they start the season with a disadvantage.
Bottas emphasized, “Looking from the outside, it could look that way, that people are just waiting for Audi to come and so on. But it is not the case. Everyone is flat out, everyone is pushing. So we’re not standing still. It is just that the field is now so competitive, and if you don’t start the season quite there, then it’s not easy to come back up. So we’re pushing, we’re not standing still.”
